#FIRSTLOOK: “STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH”

Disney+ announced earlier today that a new Animated Series will be making its way to the streaming service in 2021 from the STAR WARS universe.

STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in “The Clone Wars”) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch – a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army — each possess a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose.

(Photo credit: Disney)

#FIRSTLOOK: “RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE” TRAILER

Filmed over just 20 days in Toronto and Hamilton, RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE finally sees a release!

Synopsis:
What are the real consequences when life begins to imitate art?
Comic book creator Todd Walkley, his wife Kathy, assistant Aurora and best friend, Hard Calibre Comics owner Ezra, embark upon a road trip from Toronto to NYC comic con and bad things start to happen. People start getting killed.

It soon becomes clear that a crazed fan is using Todd’s “SLASHERMAN” comic as inspiration for the killings and as the bodies pile up, and Todd’s friends and family become victims themselves, Todd will be forced to take artistic responsibility.

Random Acts of Violence is an elevated slasher horror that will easily become a cult favourite; scratching the entertainment element of horror whilst searching for the deeper meaning behind the violence. The film explores the idea of legitimizing cruelty, and the fact that monsters are not merely monsters, they are broken people. Stretching from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other, it holds a mirror up to art, society and violence.

See the Trailer:

Elevation Pictures release RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE on Digital and on-demand Friday, July 31, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

#NEWMUSIC: DUA LIPA – “HALLUCINATE”

The third official single off Dua Lipa‘s masterpiece sophomore album FUTURE NOSTALGIA, is Hallucinate. They’ve had to get a bit creative with the Music Video amidst the pandemic, using animation!

See the Video:

FUTURE NOSTALGIA is available now.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music)

#COOKING: PEACH COBBLER RECIPE

Peach Cobbler. Peaches are so in-season right now. It’s really your loss if you haven’t picked some up! This recipe is so easy even the most entry-level Baker can nail this! I like to add a bit of orange in as it complements peach so well. This takes exactly like Summer should taste. I like to add a bit of texture on-top in oats and almonds, but that’s completely up to you if you want to keep that in! It’s your life! I’m just saying it’s better with crunch. Not judging you. 🍑

Ingredients:
5 large peaches, skinned and cut into 1″ thick slices
1 cup flour
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup organic raw sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oats
4 tbsps almond slivers, toasted
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a couple pinches of nutmeg
zest of one orange
2 tbsps juice of orange

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 375°F.
2. Pour melted butter into baking dish.
3. In large bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup raw sugar, salt, baking powder and milk.
4. Pour batter over the melted better. Do not mix together.
5. In sauce pan, bring peaches, zest, juice and remaining sugar to boil. Remove from heat.
6. Pour peaches over batter mixture. Do not mix together. Sprinkle nutmeg, cinnamon, oats and almonds on-top.
7. Bake 40 minutes till golden and toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
8. Cool at room temperature. Serve with ice cream.

Gallery:

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A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Jul 9, 2020 at 3:59pm PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: “THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY” SEASON 2 TRAILER | GERARD WAY – “HERE COMES THE END”

We’re sure many of you are thrilled for the upcoming second season of Toronto-made THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY! Here’s a brand-new Trailer to get you pumped and also the new Gerard Way (ft. Judith Hill) track heard on the Trailer, HERE COMES THE END!

Synopsis:
Five warned his family (so, so many times) that using his powers to escape from Vanya’s 2019 apocalypse was risky. Well, he was right – the time jump scatters the siblings in time in and around Dallas, Texas. Over a three year period. Starting in 1960. Some, having been stuck in the past for years, have built lives and moved on, certain they’re the only ones who survived. Five is the last to land, smack dab in the middle of a nuclear doomsday, which – spoiler alert! – turns out is a result of the group’s disruption of the timeline (déjà vu, anyone?). Now the Umbrella Academy must find a way to reunite, figure out what caused doomsday, put a stop to it, and return to the present timeline to stop that other apocalypse. All while being hunted by a trio of ruthless Swedish assassins. But seriously, no pressure or anything.

See the Trailer:

Check-out Here Comes the End from The Umbrella Academy Creator Gerard Way (featuring Judith Hill), featured in the Trailer!

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY Season 2 streams on Netflix Friday, July 31, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix/Warner Music)

#COOKING: HELLO KITTY MAC & CHEESE RECIPE

Hello Kitty Mac & Cheese.  She’s an icon and what better way to celebrate her in a dish worthy of her greatness, Mac & Cheese? Our mind was blown that Hello Kitty Pasta exists and we found this in a Japanese Houseware Store (Oomomo). You also can find this online. Something a little fun and comforting to make your day for kids big and small!

Ingredients:

450g Hello Kitty-shaped Pasta

3 cups whole milk

3 cups Old Cheddar, grated

1 cup Gruyere, grated

6 Kraft Singles

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup flour

6 tbsps unsalted butter

5-6 drops red food colouring (or beet juice if you’re conscious like that!)

Sea salt and pepper

Olive oil

Crust:

1 cup Panko

½ cup Parmesan, grated

4 tbsps unsalted butter, melted

½ tsp Paprika

4 drops red food colouring (or beet juice!)

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta till al dente and set aside. Toss in a bit of olive oil.
2. Preheat oven at 350°F.
3. In large sauce pan on medium heat, melt butter, add cheeses (reserve about a cup or more), milk, cream, salt and pepper. Stir frequently till just melted.
4. In small bowl mix flour and a bit of water to make a slurry.
5. Whisk slurry into cheese sauce and drop-in colouring. If lumps form, use sieve to strain lumps out.
6. Place pasta in baking dish and pour sauce, mixing evenly.
7. Sprinkle remaining cheese on-top.
8. Mix colour into butter.  Add Panko, Paprika and Parmesan.
9. Top pasta with crust mixture and bake 30 minutes till crust is golden.
10. Allow to cool 30 minutes before serving. Serve with Sriracha or Ketchup.

Gallery:

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A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Jul 8, 2020 at 10:35am PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: “I USED TO GO HERE” TRAILER

From Producers Andy Samberg, Jorma Tacome and Akiva Schaffer comes I USED TO GO HERE, directed by Kris Rey and starring Gillian Jacobs and Jemaine Clement!

SYNOPSIS:

Following the lackluster launch of her debut novel, 35-year-old writer Kate Conklin (Gillian Jacobs) receives a welcome invitation from her former professor and old crush (Jemaine Clement) to speak at her alma mater. With her book tour cancelled, and her ego deflated, Kate hopes that returning to her old college as a published author will give her the morale boost she sorely needs. Instead, she falls into a comical regression—from misadventures with eccentric twenty-year olds to feelings of jealousy toward her former professor’s new favorite student. Bittersweet emotion and awkward humor abound as Kate journeys through her past to redefine her future in this big-hearted fourth feature from writer/director Kris Rey.

See the Trailer:

Pacific Northwest Pictures release I USED TO GO HERE Friday, August 7, 2020 on Digital and On-Demand.

(Photo/video credit: Pacific Northwest Pictures)

#FIRSTLOOK: TRAILER FOR “THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN”

Check-out this heartwarming new Trailer for THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN featuring a star-studded Voice Cast, coming soon to Disney+!

Synopsis:

An adaptation of the award-winning book about one very special gorilla, Disney’s “The One and Only Ivan” is an unforgettable tale about the beauty of friendship, the power of visualization and the significance of the place one calls home. Ivan is a 400-pound silverback gorilla who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant, Bob the dog, and various other animals. He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him. Ruby is recently separated from her family in the wild, which causes him to question his life, where he comes from and where he ultimately wants to be. The heartwarming adventure, which comes to the screen in an impressive hybrid of live-action and CGI, is based on Katherine Applegate’s bestselling book, which won numerous awards upon its publication in 2013, including the Newbery Medal.

The film stars: Sam Rockwell as the voice of Ivan; Angelina Jolie as the voice of Stella; Danny DeVito as the voice of Bob the dog; Helen Mirren as the voice of Snickers the poodle; Brooklynn Prince as the voice of Ruby; Ramon Rodriquez as the mall employee George; Ariana Greenblatt as George’s daughter Julia; Chaka Khan as the voice of Henrietta the chicken; Mike White as the voice of Frankie the seal; Ron Funches as the voice of Murphy the rabbit; Phillipa Soo as the voice of Thelma the parrot; and Bryan Cranston as Mack, the mall’s owner.

See the Trailer:

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN streams on Disney+ Friday, August 21, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: WHAT TO WATCH JULY 2020 – “ATHLETE A”, “UNSOLVED MYSTERIES”, “CRAZY DELICIOUS”, “RuPAUL’S DRAG RACE”, “CANADA’S DRAG RACE”, “WE’RE HERE”, “THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN”, “THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB”, “DESPERADOS”, “MUCHO MUCHO AMOR”

Summer’s in full swing and here are some new options for you to help pass the time while we’re at home to help “flatten the curve”.

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES (NETFLIX)

Mustering-up the courage to watch this took a lot out of us. This Series mortified us growing-up in the ’90s and made it difficult for this pre-teen to go to sleep on a regular basis, yet still we watched. Netflix just released season 15 of this Series which tackles cold cases and unexplained phenomenons. The theme song and title graphic have been updated by still make us shiver. The round we get six episodes examining everything from a man whose body was found in Baltimore’s Belvedere Hotel; a woman who disappeared from her hair salon with her remains found later leaving her son with several questions and no closure; the search for a man suspected to have killed his family in France; a black man who went missing after attending a party with friends; various towns one night in September 1969 which encountered what is believed to be an UFO; and sisters seeking justice for their missing sister- the suspect being their mom. I am shaking just re-thinking about these. There literally are footprint marks on my bedroom floor for all the feet sweats! We need a mental break. but want more.

CRAZY DELICIOUS (NETFLIX)

We love our cooking and baking competitions and British series CRAZY DELICIOUS is no exception. Each episode, three contestants square-off and are given ingredient and theme challenges and must impress a panel of three high-profile “Food Gods” including Carla Hall, Heston Blumenthal and Niklas Ekstedt. Host Jayde Adams provides tons of puns and quirk. We love the colours and innovation as the show gets its contestants to amp-up the creativity in a serious time crunch. Some thrive, some flop and at six episodes, this was an easy zip-through. I wanted to eat everything.

ATHLETE A (NETFLIX)

Co-Directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk take us deep into the world of American Gymnastics where a bombshell was dropped when it was uncovered that Doctor Larry Nassar had abused several young female gymnasts. But prior to being sentenced to 175 years in prison, how did he manage to get away with this for so many years? Documentary ATHLETE A uncovers the web of deception and how the USA Gymnastics Team continued to receive several reports, burying them for several years. Finally, Rachael Denhollander, now a lawyer and a former gymnast ignited the spark that became a blaze as the first woman to publicly accuse Nassar, bringing these victims to justice. We see Nassar‘s world unfold in detail and we get some exclusive content and footage including an interrogation where he visibly is uncomfortable when questioned about his examination practices. Like Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, the Film is focused on the victims and their healing but this goes a layer deeper in understanding of the perpetrator in addition to the victims. Riveting.

HOMEMADE (NETFLIX)

This is a collection of 17 short films, produced by Pablo Larrain (Jackie) set during the COVID-19 Pandemic, ranging between 4 to 11 minutes in length ranging from comedic to dramatic, some autobiographical even. Netflix has arranged the Films in episodes which so you can pick and choose which you wanted to view. Some standouts include:

–RIDE IT OUT by Ana Lily Amirpour, a gorgeously-shot look at Los Angeles during the pandemic –CRICKETS by Kristen Stewart and also starring her, centers on a woman coping with insomnia –JOHNNY MA by Johnny Ma is autobiographical is a letter to his mother, which she may never even see; he shares his mother’s dumpling recipe. –PENELOPE by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring husband Peter Sarsgaard as a man coping with a virus attacking the planet, causing the moon to orbit closer to Earth –THE LUCKY ONES by Rachel Morrison, about a mother who writes a poem for her son, hoping he will remember what life was like during COVID-19

RuPAUL’S DRAG RACE SEASON 11 (NETFLIX)

Confession – I honestly haven’t tuned into RuPaul’s Drag Race since its first two seasons. It isn’t that I didn’t love it, because I did. Life got busy and there were so many other things to watch. Amidst this period of isolation, I decided to catch-up again and that proved a great decision! We meet 14 Queens here, one returning from last season after a premature elimination. And we also have Canadian representation with former Toronto star Brooke Lynn Hytes making us proud, capitalizing off her experience as a ballet dancer to wow the judges. Celebrity judges include Miley Cyrus, Cara Delevingne, Kandi Burruss, Tony Hale, Joel McHale, Clea DuVall, Katherine Langford, Gina Rodriguez and several more. As desired, things get super-heated among this diverse group of Queens but it is a wonder seeing how far along this Series has advanced in complexity and what we get is a dazzling production with some nailbiter challenges including a drag magic show and a Grease-inspired parody musical. This, in addition to some nerve-wrecking Lip Sync For Your Life and runway challenges. A little wonder how this Series has taken home a whopping NINE Emmys. We need a just-concluded Season 12 on Netflix, in addition to recently-launched Canada’s Drag Race, which is available on Crave in Canada.

CANADA’S DRAG RACE (CRAVE)

Toronto is known as a hot bed for drag talent and this spinoff of RuPaul’s Drag Race gives 12 Canadian Queens a chance to compete for a $100k prize and a year of stays at The Hilton! Brooke Lynn Hytes made a huge splash on season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and gets a heroine’s welcome home as one of three judges, alongside supermodel Stacey Mackenzie and actor Jeffrey Bower Chapman. Each week, a new celebrity guest judge appears starting with the likes of Elisha Cuthbert (24, Happy Endings) and Jade Hassouné (Shadowhunters). A new episode arrives every Thursday on Crave, with the Series premiering this past Thursday to raves. Canada’s Queens certainly have a quirkiness to them, as evinced by a Rocky Mountains photo challenge which saw them tasked with looking their fiercest when the wind machine suddenly went full blizzard mode on them! There’s certainly already quite a bit of sass to be seen already and we can’t wait to see the drama develop.

WE’RE HERE (CRAVE/HBO)

You’d be hard-pressed to find anything more heart-felt, entertaining and educational in six episodes right now on Television. Yes, we had to purchase the HBO add-on to our Crave subscription to see this but it was well-worth the price. WE’RE HERE follows three of America’s top Drag Queens: Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela as they venture to the most obscure towns in America to deliver a message of self-love. We meet a wide array of subjects from people grieving a loss, to people who identify as heterosexual to spread a message of inclusion, to individuals who are non-binary and seek drag as an act of expression to help realize their true selves.

Imagine RuPaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye as a mash-up in a Documentary format. The Series digs deep and we really see our subjects go on a journey of growth, dealing with things that have halted their lives and most of all, it so much fun seeing the big reveals at the end of each episode. It is eye-opening the barriers that these Queens faced in these places which face an uphill battle in acceptance. The Series culminates in us getting to know each of the Drag Queens and their own emotional journeys from obscurity to fame. WE’RE HERE tugs on all the right emotional strings and gave us all the feels. You will not regret seeing this.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN (CRAVE/HBO)

So sad we missed our chance to see this in theatres last fall, but so happy we got to finally enjoy it on Crave via the HBO add-on. Based on Garth Stein‘s Novel, this Story of the unbreakable bond between an owner and their pet hits all the marks emotionally. While oversimplified in parts including a legal battle, what this Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn) Tearjerker does well is its empathetic view of the world it gives us from our central canine Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner) and also his unconditional love for race car driver owner, Denny (Milo Ventimiglia). While this doesn’t really tread any new territory, it gives its audience exactly what it knows it is going to get. This is a must-see for anyone who’s ever loved their dog more than anything and it literally will have you crying so hard, you’ll be gasping for air. You have been warned.

THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB (NETFLIX)

Based on Ann M. Martin’s popular Children’s Novels, this ten-episode Series sure is to be a hit with the younger crowd this Summer. Make no mistake though there are lessons to be learned by kids, young and old here. We follow seventh-graders Kristy (Sophia Grace), Stacey (Shay Rudolph), Claudia (Momona Tamada) and Mary Anne (Malia Baker), who band together to create a club of Baby-Sitters to earn some money. Along the way, they learn about some of the battles they and those close to them each are facing in their own lives. Purely wholesome, these dramas seem real to these young ladies who are dealing with things for the first time. For example, Stacey is a Type-1 Diabetic; Claudia is trying to understand her grandmother’s past having witnessed what it was like to be at an internment camp and also trying to find her artistic self; Mary Anne is learning to assert herself, not knowing how to say “no”. This and several more complex story lines such as living with a single parent or seeing your parent re-marry or date. And the Series even stars Alicia Silverstone as Kristy‘s mother. We love that the stories have been modernized for kids of today but still there are important and healthy perspectives which we all can learn from. We have a feeling there will be more seasons ahead.

DESPERADOS (NETFLIX)

This Comedy centers on Wesley (Nasim Pedrad) and her two BFFs Brooke (Anna Camp) and Kaylie (Sarah Burns) who jet off to Mexico to save the former from sabotaging a blossoming relationship with Jared (Robbie Amell). Wesley‘s biological clock is ticking and she’s running out of patience. Jared is a hunk who has it all and could be the one. That is until he “ghosts” Wesley, triggering her to send an angry series of messages confronting him – only to realize he was hospitalized! In a manic frenzy, Wesley and her friends try to break into his hotel room and delete the series of angry emails. The trip to Mexico however proves life-changing as each of the ladies come to different realizations about what they truly want in life. Enter to the picture Sean (Lamorne Morris), who keeps surfacing and despite having had a rocky start with Wesley, we wonder if she might’ve overlooked him. This Comedy by Ellen Rapoport starts-off actually quite funny with SNL alumni Pedrad shining in her many gags, but when things get a little more serious and she’s forced to face her demons and the BFFs get separated in the second-half, it somehow fizzles and feels a bit long at just under two hours.

MUCHO MUCHO AMOR: THE LEGEND OF WALTER MERCADO (NETFLIX)

Puerto Rican Astrologer Walter Mercado gained fame internationally in the ’70s with his larger-than-life persona and flamboyant fashion, but then suddenly disappeared after having been a very regular part of his fans’ lives. This Documentary by Cristina Constantini and Kareem Tabsch explains his rise to stardom and also the reason why he went away, but more importantly, we witness his comeback after a legal battle after signing-away past, present and future rights to his own name. This is a fascinating portrait of an icon, unafraid to ask questions about this mysterious figure including his romantic life. Hamilton mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda even appears in the Documentary as a teary-eyed adoring fan. The only thing tragic about this is that the subject likely never got to see this lovely tribute to him before passing away last year, though it lets his colourful legacy live on.

For our Review of HAMILTON, click here.

For our Review of EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA, click here.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “JIM GAFFIGAN: THE PALE TOURIST”

Funnyman Jim Gaffigan is back in new Comedy Special THE PALE TOURIST, coming soon to Amazon Prime Video. Canadian connection: the Special includes footage even from his Kitchener show!

Synopsis:

In The Pale Tourist, Gaffigan boldly goes where no stand-up comedian has gone before: everywhere. The two hour-long specials were filmed as part of Gaffigan’s The Pale Tourist worldwide tour, in which he traveled the world—in each country meeting people, eating the food, and learning a bit about the history. He would then transform those experiences into a stand-up set of all-new material and perform it for locals and expatriates, before heading on to another destination and doing it all over again.

See the Trailer:

JIM GAFFIGAN: THE PALE TOURIST streams on Amazon Prime Video Friday, July 24, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)